Egg-tray for incubators



(No Model.)

W. H. SULLIVAN. EGG TRAY FOR INOUBATORS.

No. 448,558. Patented Mar. 17, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

IVILLIAM I-I. SULLIVAN, OF HOLDEN, MISSOURI.

EGG -TRAY FDR INCUBATORS.

SFECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,558, dated March 1'7, 1891.

Application filed October 4, 1890. Serial No. 367,091. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. SULLIVAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Holden, in the county of Johnson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Egg-Tray for Incubators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to improvements in egg-trays for incubators; and the objects in view are to provide one or a series of trays adapted to be applied to various styles of incubators and so constructed as to permit and facilitate an easyturning of the eggs in a natural manner for the purpose of facilitating incubation and preventing a settling of the yolks.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, together with the novel features thereof, will be particularly pointed out in the claims and set forth in the following description.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of a tray constructed in accordance with my invention, the same being adapt ed for usein an incubator where but a single tray is employed. Fig. 2 is a transverse section. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of the inner turning frame.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, 1 designates a rectangular frame, preferably constructed of wood and provided with opposite front and rear side pieces 2 and 3, respectively, each of which has its inner face provided with a longitudinal groove or recess 4, forming a guide. The-bottom of the frame 1 is covered by a fine wire-gauze 5, as shown. 6 designates the turning frame, and the same is of a width to loosely fit between the side pieces 2 and 3, and in the present instance consists of opposite L.-shaped metallic strips 7, connected at intervals by means of transverse wires 8. The strips 7 are of a height adapting them to fit within the recesses or ways 4, and are connected by a longitudinal wire 9, the wires8 and 9 intersecting each other at such distances apart as to combine to form a series of rectangular egg=receiving spaces. Each of the wires 8, at intervals occurring between the wire 9, is provided with upwardly-disposed kinks or bends 10, which take at each side of an egg located between the same. The front side piece 2 is provided near each end of the incubator with short slots 11, approximatingabout one-half the circumference of an egg, and in said slots are mounted headed guide-screws 12,the heads projecting outside of the slots and forming operating-knobs and the inner ends of the screws being passed through the adjacent strip 7. Eggs being placed in the frame or tray, in order to partially rotate the same the headed screws are moved from one end of their slots to the other, so that the turning frame, moving over the frame 1, serves to give a half rotation to each egg. By reason of the kinks this rotation or propulsion of the egg is secured without the necessity of the eggs having contact with each other for such purpose, and hence the danger of breaking the shells of the eggs is avoided.

In some instances where a series of trays located side by side is employed I omit the slots 11 and the headed screws for the reason that all of the trays not having a front ex posure such could not be used except in the first tray of the series, and I therefore, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, extend one end of each of the central wires 9 upwardly to form a shank 13 and upon the same mount a knob 14-, so that each tray may be worked from one end.

From the above it will be seen that I pro vide a cheap, simple, and durable tray, the eggs in which may be rotated at intervals to prevent settling and facilitate incubation, that I avoid all liability of breaking the eggs by contact with each other, and by locating the wires 8 close to the reticulated bottom of the frame 1 the chicks as they come out of their shells may leave the tray without the.

likelihood of having their feet engage the wires 8 or 9, and thus receive injury.

I-laving described my invention, what I claim is--- 1. An incubator-tray consisting of an open frame having a gauze bottom and oppositelygrooved side pieces and a turning frame consisting of opposite strips mounted in the grooves of said side pieces, a series of transverse wires provided at intervals with kinks, and a longitudinal wire connecting the transverse wires between their kinks, substantially as specified.

IOC

2. An incubator-tray consisting of a rectangular open frame having a gauze bottom and opposite front and rear strips, the inner faces of which are provided with ways and the front strip provided with a longitudinal slot, and a turning tray mounted in said frame and consisting of opposite L-shaped guide-pieces mounted in theways, a series of transverse connecting-wires provided with} kinks at corresponding intervals, a longitudinal wire connecting the transverse wires hei tween their kinks and combining therewith to form egg-receiving spaces, and a headed screw mounted in the slot of the front piece of the first-mentioned frame and secured to the corresponding guide-piece of the turning or last mentioned frame, substantially as specified.

3. An incubator-tray consisting of an open frame having a bottom and a sliding turning i frame consisting of opposite strips and a series of transverse wires provided at intervals I with verticalkinks,substantially as specified. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as l myown I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM Ii. Sl'LLIYAN.

"Witnesses: FRANK A. HoUeK, l FRED N. 'lmmrsox. 

